Church protestors have no place in community

Hate disguised as righteousness is nothing but the seeds of evil. Evil like this should be understood and ignored.

On Monday in Clovis, we will have the chance to do so. An evil group will profanely display itself at the funeral of an Army soldier who died during wartime.

Members of Westboro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kan., have announced they will exhibit their twisted views outside the funeral services of Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr. He died in an Aug. 4 accident in Iraq.

These people perform their charade across America. They declare most people who profess a belief in Christ “are Christians by name only, and should be ashamed of themselves.”
These haters’ targets are many.

Their Web page declares: “Catholic seminaries are filled with filthy fags.”
They picket soldiers’ funerals because soldiers “voluntarily joined a fag-infested army to fight for a fag-run country now utterly and finally forsaken by God who Himself is fighting against that country.”
Here are a few vile excerpts from the Westboro group’s frightening announcement about its Clovis plans:

“WBC to picket funeral for Army Sgt. Leroy Segura Jr. – at 9:15 a.m., Monday, August 14 – at Sacred Heart Catholic Dog Kennel … God Almighty killed Army Sgt. Segura. He died in shame, not honor — for a fag nation cursed by God …”

Despite such statements, the Kansas church members poor-mouth their intentions as neither violent nor looking for a fight. They merely seek a peaceful protest that could include their youngsters. If the Clovis event resembles a recent WBC sighting at a soldier’s funeral in Lubbock, children will carry signs and/or wear T-shirts that read:
• “You’re going to hell”
• “God is your enemy”
• “God hates fag enablers”

Ultimately, what do these people hope to achieve? Their Web page declares:

“First, our goal is to preach the Word of God to this crooked and perverse generation. … It is the solemn job of a believing Christian to preach the Gospel to every creature, and warn them to flee from the wrath to come. … Second, our goal is to glorify God by declaring His whole counsel to everyone. Third, we hope that by our preaching some will be saved. As Jude said, on some have compassion, making a difference, but others save with fear.”

Why target soldiers’ funerals? Read this misguided insult to our men and women in uniform:

“These turkeys are not heroes. They are lazy, incompetent idiots looking for jobs because they’re not qualified for honest work. They were raised on a steady diet of fag propaganda in the home, on TV, in church, in school, in mass media – everywhere. …They turned America into fags, they’re coming home in body bags.”

No words can properly express our disgust for the hatred staining these homophobic minds. Their words remind us most of illogic Muslim terrorists spew forth as they twist their religion into a fabric justifying murder in the name of their God.

If a Westboro contingent shows up Monday, know they are the evil, godless ones.

Attend this Catholic service in Clovis to pray for and thank the family of the good and honorable Sgt. Segura. He earned his second and final Purple Heart while serving his God and his country, community and family.

His sacrifice was in service to the world and to all Americans of all beliefs and faiths, not the few who want us all to cloak evil in righteousness.